Archive for April, 2014

Tornadoes and severe thunderstorms have caused major damage in several areas of the Southern Plains States since Sunday. Several people have lost their lives. The combination of several factors including a strong jet stream, disturbances in the upper-level flow, deep moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and a frontal system have been causing the severe weather. Here in Hampton Roads, we haven’t seen any severe weather from this system but forecasters are concerned that things could change later today and especially tomorrow (Wednesday) as the deeper moisture, increasing shear/helicity, and warmer temperatures arrive. A little over an inch of rain fell in my neighborhood on Monday. It won’t rain all the time but there should be a few periods of rain (some of it heavy) through Thursday. The heaviest rain totals should occur west of Hampton Roads, but pockets of heavy rain can occur just about anywhere in Virginia and North Carolina. It is also possible that the sun may make an appearance but that should be shortlived. We should dry out by the weekend as the system slowly moves offshore. That’s it for now. Have a great day!

The system that brought the thunderstorms on Friday is now well offshore and we should see a very pleasant day today with mild temperatures. Westerly winds blowing down the mountains will cause the warm temperatures, despite a cold frontal passage Friday night. The air compresses as it moves downward which causes the warming… Officials are checking storm damage in the Elizabeth City, N.C. area to determine whether a tornado touched down or straight-lined winds caused the damage. I have not heard about any major damage from storms here in Hampton Roads. A little over an inch of rain fell in my backyard but much less was reported at Norfolk International Airport, where less than a half inch of rain was reported. Whenever a weather system causes the winds at the surface to blow from the south or southeast and the winds aloft are blowing from the southwest, the different wind directions with height (or wind shear) can cause rotation in a thunderstorm resulting in a tornado. That’s one of the reasons the NWS issued a Tornado Watch yesterday. Several other factors contributed to the severe weather potential. The lightning was quite frequent with these storms and you have to keep in mind that lightning is a very real threat in any thunderstorm, whether it is severe or not… We have nothing to worry about this weekend regarding the weather. A cold front will be moving through tonight but forecasters are not expecting anything more than a sprinkle or light shower over our northernmost areas. Sunday will be a cooler day as our winds switch to the north… Meanwhile a storm system will be gathering in the center of the nation that will be a big player in our weather next week. The exact details are not certain right now, but it looks like we will see an extended period of unsettled weather beginning either Monday or Tuesday… That’s it for now. Enjoy the weather this weekend!

This is just a quick update to let you know that the NWS has issued a Tornado Watch for all of Hampton Roads until 9:00 PM tonight (Friday). A potent shortwave is approaching that should produce conditions favorable for severe thunderstorms. The primary severe weather threats associated with this system are high winds and large hail. Isolated tornadoes are possible. Please stay tuned to the local media and the NWS for the very latest forecasts… Once the frontal system moves offshore late tonight, things will quiet down. The weekend looks fantastic. We’re probably going to see some wet weather next week as the upper-level wind pattern is expected to become amplified and weather systems may become slow moving in what the NWS calls a blocky pattern. I’ll have more details on that over the next few days. That’s it for now. Stay safe and enjoy your weekend.

Today’s (Thursday) weather should be very similar to Wednesday with a little less wind. A cold front is expected to bring us a chance of showers and maybe even a thunderstorm on Friday along with warmer temperatures. Will this be similar to the frontal passage earlier in the week when showers dissipated before they got here? Right now, the NWS has a 60% chance of rain on Friday so it seems that there is a decent chance of rain. We’re now entering the time of year when rain can be hit or miss, depending on the type of system causing the precipitation. Some areas get the rain while other areas miss out. It’s very difficult for forecasters to predict with any accuracy what portions of the area will get the rain… The weekend looks good right now with plenty of sunshine. After that, the forecast gets tricky. According to the NWS, the pattern is expected to become blocky and more amplified. Forecasters aren’t certain exactly how the pattern will set up but odds are we will be dealing with an increased chance of rain next week.

The combination of a low pressure system to our south and high pressure to our north is making for a windy Easter Sunday here in Hampton Roads. The northeasterly wind is also keeping us on the cool side. The rain has moved away but there still is a slight chance of a shower, especially in our most southern areas. There will be more sunshine today, but cloudiness will still be around at times throughout the day. The winds are expected to only slowly subside tonight and tomorrow as the low pressure area moves out to sea. Rainfall amounts were very light on Saturday, as was expected. About a tenth of an inch fell in my backyard. We may see another chance of showers on Tuesday as a cold front approaches the region. That’s it for now. Happy Easter, everyone! Enjoy your day.